FIG. 7 shows a conventional internal power supply voltage generator which uses a resistive voltage divider. In FIG. 7, the reference numeral 8 designates a resistor having a resistance R8. One end of the resistor 8 is connected to the external power supply voltage Vcc, and the other end thereof is connected to a node N8. The reference numeral 9 designates a resistor having a resistance R9. One end thereof is connected to the node N8, and the other end thereof is connected to ground.
In this conventional circuit a voltage V1=R9/(R8+R9).Vcc obtained by a voltage divider using the resistors 8 and 9, is generated at the output terminal V1 which is led out from the node N8, and this voltage is used as an internal power supply voltage of the semiconductor integrated circuit device. If it is supposed that R8 is equal to R9, a voltage 1/2 Vcc is generated at the terminal V1.
In this conventional internal power supply voltage generator of such a construction, a current usually flows from the external power supply Vcc to ground through the resistors 8 and 9, thereby resulting in an increased power dissipation. Furthermore, if the resistance R8 and R9 of the resistors 8 and 9 are made large in order to lower the power dissipation, the output impedance at the node N8 increases, thereby preventing the production of a large enough current from the node N8.